


Say Anything

by reassembleme



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Canonical Character Death, Developing Relationship, Engagement, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 14:17:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15708921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reassembleme/pseuds/reassembleme
Summary: Five times Adam says yes, and the one time he didn't.





	Say Anything

i.

    Adam Wright does not have a crush. He left that sort of thing behind when he graduated, especially when the object of such affections was a hotshot pilot. Adam had had more than enough of hotshot pilots, thank you. Adam, however, still freezes as he spots said hotshot pilot on his way to the lounge, getting chewed out by an unimpressed Iverson. He should keep walking, but curiosity, most definitely not some crush, holds him in place.

    Officer Takashi Shirogane caused quite the stir following his promotion at the Garrison. He’d been a star student, top of his class, rumored to be the best pilot the Garrison’s ever seen. As if that hadn’t been enough, his good looks and natural charm garnered him predictable popularity. The humility, the apparent blindness to all the attention, is what captured Adam’s eye. Regardless Adam is more than happy to avoid him. At least, he’d tried to avoid him.

    It seemed professional at first, unavoidable, the frequency at which Adam would run into him. Adam instructs, Officer Shirogane recruits. Lately, though, the coincidences have gone beyond professional. Officer Shirogane is a shadow in the Garrison, hesitant as he steals glances. Adam’s sure he thinks he’s being subtle. He smiles, allowing himself an indulgent moment to look at him. The strong jawline, the broad shoulders, the kind depth of his dark gray eyes; distinct even as they stare sternly back at Iverson, thick brows furrowed above them. From the sound of it, they’re arguing about one of the new cadets. Shirogane stands his ground, unwavering in his defense. The sight of him makes Adam’s breath catch and perhaps, maybe, he does have a crush.

    He walks ahead, ducking behind the corner to wait for him. Approaching footsteps ring moments later. He steps forward as a tuft of black hair rounds the corner, placing a hand on a broad shoulder. Adam laughs, pleased to hear the startled gasp that comes out of him. His eyes are wide as recognition flashes in them, and he quickly closes his mouth. If Adam squints, he’s certain he can see a light flush spread across his face.

    “Officer Wright! I didn’t notice you there, I- uh- _Jesus_ you scared the shit out of me,” he says, running a hand through his hair. He smiles, embarrassed, and it gives him a boyish charm Adam hadn’t noticed before. _Oh._ Shiro motions for Adam to walk, following when he does. Adam swallows the sudden nerves, turns to look at him.

    “So, the kid was thirteen, huh?” he asks, delighted to see him huff out a laugh.

    “News spreads fast, I guess. And uh, he was fourteen, thank you very much! Top scores on the simulator, too,” he says, something like pride shining in his eyes.

    “No wonder you like him so much, then. Hope he’s worth an Iverson lecture.”

    “I really think he will be,” he says, voice soft. They come up to the instructor’s lounge, empty besides the two of them.

    “Well, Officer Shirogane-”

    “Shiro! You can call me Shiro,” he says, an undeniable flush blooming on his face this time. Adam smiles at him, and he feels like he’s falling.

    “Then you can call me Adam, Shiro,” he says, enjoying the sight of an almost sheepish Shiro. He sets down his papers, flicking his gaze down. “Anyway, I, uh, I’ve got papers to grade, you know how it is. See you around?” He looks back up, breath held.

    “Ah, yeah, you will!” he says, exiting the room. Adam smiles, settles into one of the couches, laying out his papers. He waits, exhales when rewarded with the sound of hurried footsteps coming back his way.

    “I’m sorry Officer Wr- _Adam_. But, would you like to go out for coffee sometime?” he says, a little breathless. Adam grins at him, nerves threatening to break his cool.

    “Yeah, I’d love to.”

ii.

    “No, Shiro. Absolutely not,” Adam says, eyeing the hoverbike warily. His eyes graze over Shiro, logic warring with the gleam in his eyes, the shape of his arms in his leather jacket, the way his form drapes over the vehicle. He swallows, turns, and walks away.

    “Babe, _wait!_ ” Shiro says, stumbling off the bike in his haste. He rushes forward, grabs Adam’s arm. He faces him, hit with the full weight of Shiro’s pouting stare. “It’ll be fun, I promise!” Adam frowns, hesitating, resolve weakening.

    “And you built this yourself?”

    “With help, of course.”

    “How do you know it’s safe?”

    “The help was one of the best minds in the Garrison’s engineering pro-”

    “Matt. _Matt_ helped build this?” he says, walking back over to inspect it. Shiro has the sense to look embarrassed.

    “Well, yeah, it’s not like anyone else would, and-”

    “Okay.”

    “Okay?”

    “Yes, I'll get on the bike with you,” he says, earning bright eyes from Shiro. Shiro hops on, pulling goggles over his head as he passes a pair over to Adam. They fit perfectly over his glasses, and he climbs on behind Shiro. He holds on, pressing in close.

    “Don’t make me regret this, Takashi,” he says, lips at his ear. Shiro shivers, and then they’re off.

    The lift off is jarring, so different from a Garrison fighter, but exhilarating all the same. He tightens his grip around Shiro’s waist, slowly getting accustomed to the bike. He allows his gaze to wander, eyes catching on the cliffs whipping past them, on the stretches of desert that pull forward ahead of them. His hair whips around his face, the air becoming clearer the farther they fly from the Garrison, the tension ebbing out of him with each passing mile.

    Adam gasps, breath catching as they speed towards a hill. His grip tightens, pressing impossibly closer. He fights the urge to close his eyes, the hill speeding into view.

    “Shiro, wh-,” he starts, voice caught by Shiro’s swift ascent, stomach fluttering on the steep descent. Panic gives way to exhilaration, and they’re both whooping as they go, hearts racing as they shoot toward the bottom. Shiro veers up just as they’re about to crash, kicking up dust as he rides off.

    “Shiro, that was insane!”

    “You haven’t seen anything yet, hold on!” he says, calling back. There’s a wild glint in his eye and Adam beams, leaning into him as he accelerates. The calm high of his adrenaline breaks when he spots the cliff’s edge, cold dread falling in his stomach as Shiro leans forward.

    “ _Takashiwhatareyoudoingwearegoingtodie- no. Nonononono-FUCK,_ ” he says, screaming as Shiro laughs, launching them over the side of the cliff. Time stops, suspended as they are. They hang in the air for a small eternity, Adam’s heart pounding against the walls of his chest. Caught between panic and awe, Adam sits with his mouth agape as the clearing comes into view. The orange glow of the sunset cast shadows along every dune, every nook of the desert’s surface from where they hang. Adam’s breath catches in the freefall, ears ringing; it’s like they’re flying.

    Adam’s stomach jumps to his throat as they fall, time resuming with a swift dip. Shiro, unphased, guides the bike back down to the ground with an exaggerated flourish. He skids to a stop, goggles glinting in the sunset. Adam hops off, slowly removing his goggles, hair a mess. Adrenaline still hums just below the surface of his skin, nerves alight. Shiro follows, eyeing him with a shameless grin.

    “So?” he asks, baiting.

    “We could’ve died,” he says, walking off.

    “And?”

    “Your landing was rushed, you need more pull when you-”

    “Yes, yes, I know. But what’d you think?” he asks, waiting. Adam turns back, a smile splitting across his face.

    “You _have_ to let me do that.”

    Shiro’s grin widens and he pulls him into his arms, kissing him with a quiet passion.

    “Of course.”

iii.

    “Adam, _no,_ ” Shiro says, arms crossed.

    “Uhhhh Adam, _yes!_ ” he says, marching ahead to grab at the drone’s controller. Shiro rushes forward, hugging him to his chest to distract him. A valiant, but failed effort.. Adam struggles in his arms, cheered on by an enthusiastic Matt. Shiro whips his head around to glare at him.

    “You are _not_ helping.”

    “Aw come on Shiro, you’re the one who wanted to celebrate your super cool new mission!” ae says, at ease on the couch. Shiro holds onto Adam, who makes good progress towards the drone. Shiro pulls, bringing them both down to the couch next to Matt. Adam lands with a grunt on Shiro’s lap, surprise painting his features. This distraction works, and he cozies up to Shiro with no protest. Shiro sighs, relieved. It’s late, and he’s mostly sober now. He can’t say the same for Matt, much less Adam. Adam, who hardly ever drinks, determined and on a warpath to harass Commander Iverson.

    Matt leaves to grab another beer, leaving them alone in his living room. Adam turns in Shiro’s lap, straddling him. Suspicious, Shiro places his hands on his hips, holding him in place.

    “ _Takashi_ , I’m so proud of you. I know you’ve been wanting to fly again with Commander Holt for ages,” he says, words clearer than they should’ve been. Hands in his hair, Shiro relaxes under his touch. Adam presses his forehead against Shiro’s, breath warm against his lips. Shiro reaches, lifting his hands from his hips, and comes away with nothing. Startled, he opens his eyes to find a triumphant Adam holding the controller.

    “Adam please don’t do this,” Shiro says.

    “Babe, he’s an ass. And the prank is harmless!”

    “That ass is your commanding officer, _Officer Wright_.”

    “Ooh, pulling rank on me, I’m so scared.”

    “You can’t just terrorize your commanding officer with a drone, no matter how much of an ass they are,” he says, trying for logic. Adam’s hands still over the laptop, halfway into booting up the system. He sighs, pushing his glasses up.

    “You know, I hate it when you’re right. When did you become so reasonable?” he says, squinting at him. Shiro walks over to him, grinning.

    “Since, I outranked you, obviously,” he says, earning a shove from Adam. “Let’s head home.”

    “Yeah, okay,” he says, reaching for Shiro’s hand and yawning.

iv.

    Shiro enters the apartment like a stormcloud, jaw clenched and shoulders tight. He tosses his bag onto the dining room table, sighing as he does. Adam watches from his seat in the living room, a student’s paper dangling between his fingers. Shiro slams his hands down onto the countertop, breathing deeply. Adam waits, gives him the time he needs to relax. He watches the slow rise and fall of his tense shoulders, the gradual easing of his spine, until he slumps forward minutes later.

    He shrugs his jacket off, makes his way over to Adam. He sits on the floor before him, facing outwards. He rests his head on Adam’s thigh, and Adam reaches down to massage his head, his neck, his shoulders. Steady hands, sure and warm, pull the last of the tension from Shiro’s body, and Adam remains patient until he finally speaks.

    “It’s- it’s the kid. Keith. He got into a fight during placements. This isn’t his first behavioral incident. I don’t know what to do, Iverson really wants him out. An indefinite suspension. Babe, he’ll go back to the home. I can’t let that happen, not after-,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m the one who dragged him out here, he’s _counting_ on me.”

    Adam frowns, continues to rub Shiro’s shoulders. Keith’s a good kid, he just needs a little guidance. Intuitive, fast, and perhaps a little too clever for the Garrison’s liking, he shines in the program. He pauses before he replies.

    “The meeting today, were the kids there?”

    “No, they’re going to talk to them tomorrow, with parents. I’ll have to be there for Keith, obviously. Anyway, they want to get their sides of the story or whatever. Today, Iverson just wanted to share some… _choice_ words with me,” he says. Adam gets down off the seat, slides over to face Shiro.

    “Then you fight for him, Takashi. You obviously can’t be his father, but you _can_ show him there’s an adult out here he can trust. You’re respected here at the Garrison, Sanda will have to listen to you. And more importantly, Keith will listen if you show him you won’t give up on him,” he says, gaze stern. Shiro looks back at him, thoughtful.

    “You think I should do this, vouch for Keith? This will probably be my last time to be able to do so,” he says, and Adam already knows his decision has been made. He smiles at him, grabbing his hand.

    “Yes, of course. So make it count, Lieutenant.”

v.

    A buzz ignites the air on their walk home from the restaurant. They’re dressed nicely, at Shiro’s request, and they’re out celebrating their anniversary in the city. The night is calm, quiet, as they walk along the riverside. The sky is clear tonight, moonlight illuminating their path. Adam walks on his left side, hand in his as they go. Adam is struck again by how handsome he is, especially like this: hair slicked back, suit jacket hugging his form, glowing in the moonlight. Anticipation curls in his gut, catches his tongue as they walk.

    Shiro pauses, tugs on his hand to stand at a railing overlooking the river. Adam looks at him, heart in his throat. Shiro tries at an easy smile, but Adam isn’t blind to the tension in his jaw, the stiff line of his back. Adam looks at him, brow furrowing.

    “Takashi, how are you feeling?” he asks, voice soft. Shiro waves his good hand, dismissive.

    “Adam, I’m fine. Honestly. I just-,” he looks down at his right hand, slowly extending his fingers. He exhales, a crease in his brow as he searches for words. He levels Adam with a strange look, a rare vulnerability in his eyes. He reaches for Adam’s hands, holding them gently before he begins.

    “I know this is selfish, but I love you. I love you so much, and our time together has been, arguably, the best time of my life. I’m not sure how much time I have left, but God knows I want to spend the last of it by your side - if you’ll have me.”

    Adam’s breath catches, tears forming as Shiro drops to one knee. He pulls a small velvet box out of his pocket, trembling slightly.

    “Adam Wright, will you marry me?” The words hang in the air, and Adam is on fire. Idiot, he _would_ call himself selfish during a proposal. He stares at Shiro, Shiro who he’s loved for four years. Kind, stupid Shiro who defends talented orphans, who takes on dangerous missions even as his health deteriorates. Adam swallows, overwhelmed as his answer rushes to his lips.

    “ _Yes_ Takashi, God _of_ _course_ ye-,” and Shiro’s on his feet, crushing his lips against Adam’s. They laugh as they fumble, trying to get the ring on Adam’s finger. He stares at the way it twinkles in the moonlight, at the pleased flush on Shiro’s face, and his chest feels full. _Any time with you is better than no time at all._

 

vi.

    Adam sits in his fighter, a strange calm washing over him. He closes his eyes, waiting. He's prepared for this, had run the drills numerous times since the return of Commander Holt. He grips the controls, knuckles white. The Galra are coming, and he has a role to play. He thinks of Shiro, somewhere out there being the hero he was meant to be, a Paladin of Voltron. Somewhere, he knows Shiro is playing his own role.

    Adam opens his eyes, looks around at all the grounded ships. _What’s taking so long?_ There are whispers in the hangar, of dissent between Holt and Sanda. Adam focusses on his breathing, tries to not think about what that dissent means for his crew - what that dissent means for him.

 

* * *

 

    _The news spreads like wildfire. Commander Holt is back, alive, with news of the missing cadets and Officer Shirogane. Aliens, a war thousands of years in the making, and we need to fight back. Strangely, Adam can’t find it in him to care about all of that. Something buzzes below the surface of his skin, has him distracted, on edge as he tries to find a moment alone with the Commander._

_A week or so passes after the Commander’s return, and it’s Holt who catches Adam on his way out of the instructor’s lounge._

_“Adam. I’m glad to see you’re well. Walk with me?” he asks, and Adam can’t refuse._

_“Commander Ho-,” he says, earning a frown from him._

_“Come on son, you can call me Sam,” he says, not unkindly._

_“Sam. I’m glad to see you back safe on Earth,” he says, genuine. They walk in a sharp silence until they reach one of the observatories, and Sam turns to Adam._

_“Adam, I hope I’m not being too forward here, but I personally wanted to let you know. Shiro is okay, he’s alive, and I know he will return soon with Voltron to help in any way he can,” he says, eyes burning. Adam releases a breath he’d been holding for over a year, and nods._

_“Thank you Sam.”_

 

* * *

 

    “Deploy the beta fighters!” Sanda barks, and the hangar opens up above him. A dread settles in his stomach, but he shakes it off. Determination settles over him. He looks across the dashboard, checking one last time that everything is in order. His heart hammers in his chest, and it’s unclear whether it’s fear or anticipation that starts the tremor in his body. He watches the Galra cruisers appear in the atmosphere, and the sheer number of them settles it for him. He shudders out a breath as he flies out, falling into formation.

    There are too many cruisers - they’re going to have to spread out. Adam flies out into position, alone in his corner of the sky. An old fear bubbles it’s way out as he accelerates, a battle cry leaving his throat as he charges towards a Galra fighter.

 

* * *

 

    _“...and it appears the Kerberos Mission may have faced a pilot error, the ship going missing earlier this evening. The Galaxy Garrison reports a distress signal had emitted from the ship before going dead. It is still unclear what happened. Lieutenant Takashi Shirogane, only twenty-fi-,” and the television goes dead as Adam shuts it off._

 _He sits bent over on the couch, hands clenching and unclenching into fists. He can barely breathe, barely think as he leans over, head falling into his hands._ God knows I want to spend the last of it by your side. _And tears fall, hot and fast, as the ache rips through his chest anew._

 

* * *

 

    Garrison fighters blink out around him like dying stars on the radar. He hears their screams as Galra guns take them out, hears the sickening crash of their ships as they fall useless to the ground. His chest heaves with the exertion of dipping in and out of Galra fighters. They’re fast, too fast, and he doesn’t know how much longer he has. He doesn’t know how much longer any of them have.

    He glances down at his hands, bare save for the scars that litter them, and laughs darkly to himself. _Wherever you are, Takashi, I hope you come back soon._

 

* * *

 

    _Adam can’t look at him, refuses to even face his direction. He can’t remember ever being this angry at Shiro, and it makes him sick. His hands come up to rub his temples, head searing. The fight is an old one, one he’d thought they put to rest. Shiro stands across the room, unwavering, talking about permission from Commander Holt._

_“Who knows how much time I have left, Adam? I_ have _to do this,” he says. Adam rounds on him, eyes wide, laughing joylessly._

_“No, Takashi, you don’t_ have _to do anything for them anymore. You’ve lived your hero dreams, you’ve seen the stars, the country loves you. What you_ do _have to do is honor the promise you made me,” he says, and he’s not used to raising his voice like this. Shiro’s gaze stays on the ground, not daring to look up. “You know what’s selfish, Shiro? This! You going off on these suicide missions knowing what little time we have left.”_

_Shiro remains silent, only swallows when Adam finishes. Somehow that makes him impossibly angrier._

_“Oh, quiet now? Say something, Takashi, say anything!” he says, tears falling._

_“I’m- I’m sorry Adam, but I’m going on that mission, with or without your support,” he says, so quiet and steady that Adam nearly misses it. Adam takes a step back from him, heart pounding._

_“You know I’m saying no, and here you are, pushing on anyway. Fine. Okay. Go be the hero, do what you always do Lieutenant Shirogane, just don’t expect me to be here when you come back,” he says, rushing past Shiro without a passing glance._

 

* * *

 

    The Galra cruiser comes out of nowhere, cornering Adam against a cliffside. He grips his controls, bracing himself. It had only been a matter of time.

    The last thing Adam sees before closing his eyes, is the charging of the ion cannon as it locks onto his position. His brows knit together as he thinks of Shiro, of Voltron, and he waits.

_I’m sorry, Takashi._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I think it's safe to say I'm firmly in Adashi hell now jsfshgfasjf


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